Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to highlight the challenges that developing countries have to face in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) giving utmost importance to multilateralism while delivering her speech at the UNGA on September 23.
Briefing the media on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said the Ukraine conflict has pushed the world into collective uncertainty when efforts are underway to recover from the damages caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Momen said the Prime Minister is likely to emphasis on finding solutions through mutual discussions to resolve the crisis without resorting to unilateral coercive measures or sanctions.
The Prime Minister will deliver her speech in Bangla like the previous years.
The theme of seventy-seventh session of the UN General Assembly is “A watershed moment: transformative solutions to interlocking challenges.”
She is likely to highlight Bangladesh’s impressive economic growth, government’s efforts in the area of health, education and technology, Momen said.
Bangladesh’s strong position in peacekeeping operations to ensure international peace and security, Bangladesh’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy on terrorism and violent extremism, sustainable management of marine resources, safe migration and ensuring access to basic services for migrants, climate change and its impacts, establishment of climate justice, and issues related to Palestine might come up in her speech, Momen said.
PM will attend a high-level discussion on the sidelines of the 77th UN General Assembly in New York on September 22 apart from her other engagements at the UNGA.
“We will raise the issue strongly,” the Foreign Minister said.
There will be another programme on sustainable housing on the UNGA sidelines on September 21.
Bangladesh will actively participate in all the events at the UNGA.
Referring to sanctions following the situation in Ukraine, Momen said any decision should be taken in consultation with all so that people in the world do not suffer.
PM Hasina will attend the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in London on September 19, said Momen.
The Queen’s coffin will be taken in a procession to Westminster Abbey for the state funeral on September 19 which will be a Bank Holiday in the UK.
World leaders and dignitaries have been paying tribute to the Queen, who died on Thursday at the age of 96.
Hasina is scheduled to leave Dhaka for London on Thursday.
She is scheduled to reach New York on September 20 from London.
Foreign Minister Momen, Education Minister Dr Moni and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam will accompany the PM at the UNGA.
The Bangladesh delegation will highlight the priority issues related to the national interest of Bangladesh on these important issues.
Momen said Bangladesh will highlight the priority issues in line with its national at the UNGA, noting that food and fuel crisis has been created due to the Covid-19 pandemic and various conflict situations in the world.
The increase in the fuel price has led to high inflation in various countries. Due to this new crisis, especially developing countries will have to face difficulties in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, he said.
Due to these reasons, issues such as Covid-19 management, climate change, Rohingya crisis as well as food and energy security, multilateralism, sustainable housing, building safe, reliable and inclusive digital infrastructure will dominate the discussion in the UNGA.
Like previous years, there will be a number of high-level meetings during the UNGA including a meeting on “Transforming Education Summit (TES)” on September 19.
Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni will represent the Prime Minister at the meeting as the PM will be in London at that time.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to attend the “UNGA Platform of Women Leaders” on September 20.
The “Meeting of the Champions of the Global Crisis Response Group (GCRG)” will be held on September 21 and Prime Minister Hasina will attend it as one of the six champions in this particular area.
There will be two separate high-level meetings on the “Future of Digital Cooperation: Building resilience through safe, trusted and inclusive digital public infrastructure and on “Multilateralism and Food Security” will be held.
A photo exhibition on Padma Multipurpose Bridge will also be held at the UN headquarters.
The Prime Minister will stay at Washington DC from September 25 to October 1 after attending the UNGA in New York.
Momen said the programmes for Washington are yet to be finalised.
